Captain Terch walked on the top deck of his ship, The Unseen. Its black wooden hull creaked and groaned, cutting through the waves. The wind was on their side, so the sails were solid, moving at top speed to the port city of Irupor on the Kirolak coast. His injured crewmen had been tended to on the main deck or below it. The ones that had minor ones or none were either doing their duties or watched over the prisoners, standing over them with swords drawn. Debris was everywhere, knicks taken off of the seasoned wood structure during the battle. The pirate ship of the newly acquired prisoners was aflame far behind them, floating into unsafe; still black waters.

“Some of our crew were still on the ship!” One of the prisoners screamed at the captain as he strolled past.

Terch crouched down to the pirate's level, blowing smoke from his cigar into his face. “I wouldn't be surprised, your lot are cowards. They must’ve hid as the rest of you fought for your ill-gotten goods.” The man just looked down, defeated. “Oh, don’t be like that coward. It’s better to be here than burning to a crisp upon that doomed vessel. For your comrades are or will soon to be victims of the sea itself. For those who sail into black waters, sail to the end of the line.” He stood up again, looking at the rest of them. “None of you will ever be one with the sea. You will be forgotten within its grasp, for none of you will make it to white shores.” He looked at the men that stood above them. He took his cigar out to puff another plume of smoke, breathing in the cold sea air; he just nodded at them after that. The swords they held in their hands were then held high for a moment, coming down in a swift swing straight to the necks of the looters. Blood pooled out of their fresh wounds, spreading along the deck slowly. “Throw the chum overboard before they get any more blood on my ship.”

Terch looked at the rest of the crew while they scuffled about. Periodic splashes from the bodies could be heard behind him now. “The sea smiles upon us today, for our will is just, and we are just damn good at our jobs.” Laughter could be heard among them. The captain’s boots would thud with each step as he began to go to his quarters, patting people on the back as he would pass them.

“Captain!” Dhep, the boatswain yelled out. He was above the captain in the webbed ropes of the rigging, holding a telescope.

“Yes, friend?” He said, cutting the still lit end of the cigar off so he could smoke it at some point later. Just outside his quarters now, waiting for what his second in command had to say.

“By the looks of the clouds, bad weather is afoot, and soon.”

“Well, then best to prepare as soon as possible, aye?”

“Aye, sir.” He retracted the telescope he held. “One more thing, captain.”

Terch sighed to himself, closed his eyes and cracked his neck before he opened them again. “What is it?” Because of where Dhep was at in the rigging, the two were practically yelling at each other at this point.

“The surgeon wishes to speak with you, immediately.”

“I bet she does, her hands are most definitely full from the latest scuffle we just had.”

“Indeed, she was insistent.”

“I don’t doubt the truth of that in the slightest. I’ll go to her. Thank you, boatswain.”

“Of course, captain.”

“Oh, is Irof still working to open the dead ship's chest?”

“To my knowledge, yes. We looked over the captain's body and their entire ship for the key, couldn’t find it anywhere.”

“Alright, let me know if he gets it open” Terch then turned around, heading to the stairs in the middle of the top deck that lead to the levels below.

The time bell rang high above in the watchers nest as the conversation concluded, it was just now noon. Hell of a way to start the season. Said the captain to himself. It was the first grain shipment of the Harvest from the Stag kingdom, Kirolak depended on the well-trained military/merchant ships to get there as soon as they could. With the least amount of pirate interference possible.

Below, the top deck smelt of sweat and random supplies. At this moment, it was that, wheat, and blood. The captain already knew that they had lost at least five souls in the fight. But, more were injured then he even expected. Over twenty by his rough, gut feeling estimates; seeing his crew like this was one of the few things that got under his skin. Some seemed treatable, as stab wounds in nonessential areas on the body. Some were not, though, one was blind from a firebomb that had gone off right in front of them. Another one had a leg cut off, and another had an arm removed just below the shoulder. The severely hurt ones were on hammocks that were placed everywhere down here. Even though this boat was considered the largest in the fleet that passed between the ports, it still didn’t have enough room for the sailors to sleep comfortably. Well, besides the captain, of course.

Terch made his way to the surgeon's office, and one of the unwell men reached out; grabbing the captain's hand with his one that was bloody. The crewmen didn’t even say anything to him, his mouth just quivered as he attempted to form a sentence. He crouched down to his level, putting his free hand over the bloody one as well.

“Yes, lad? You fought well today, better than myself.” The bandage wrapped around his stomach had been soaked all the way through with blood. His skin was pale, sweating profusely. The shipmate's eyes began to dart around, now breathing heavily. The captain gave a half smile that disguised itself mostly under his red, scraggly beard. His eyes began to tear up, he put the bloody hand he had clasped up to his forehead. “Go to it, to white shores. For the sea wants you to join her, you shall become one with it. Existing forever, becoming a drop of rain that shall fall upon many infinite ships. You earned your place among all the friends we have lost. Go to her, this is the end of your life's voyage. Now, to white shores.” The man's face formed a large smile, before life left his eyes. The hand had now become limp in his grip, he then let it go. One of the other men who stood in line waiting for the doctor went over to him, giving him a rag so he could wipe the blood off of his forehead and hands. “Thank you.” He continued to go to his destination once again, glancing back at the lifeless corpse; seeing that his arm now hung limp below the hammock.

Muffled voices could be heard beyond the wooden door that was only a few paces from Terch. He could almost make out one of them when the door flung open before him. One of the doctor's assistants stormed out, vomiting in a nearby bucket that has had a lot of use as of late. The man that had been hunched over, saw the fine, black leather boots of their captain. He looked up, his pants were a dark gray and had a black leather belt. The top was a thick, simple black coat that had a dented metal chest plate in the center of it.

“Hello, captain.” The assistant said in the middle of their heavy breaths, not able to say anything else before they vomited again; missing the bucket a bit that time.

“Dammit!” Doc Heari’s voice rang from the room just past the incapacitated assistant. Her arms just passed her elbows were covered in blood and darker pieces of tissue. Her black hair was pulled back, her apron was caked in blood as much if not worse than her arms. “Captain!” She pointed at the limp body that had a hole in its neck, laying on her operating table. “That’s seven! Seven dead by some measly pirates!”

“They were much better trained pirates than I’ve ever seen.”

“Exactly! They fought like it too! Did you find anything of use on their ship?”

“We took whatever loot they stole and the medical supplies they had. It wasn’t much, though, if I’m being honest.”

“Anything else? That could explain what they were doing out here so close to black waters?” The doctor walked along the right side of the room that faced the door towards the captain.

“Besides the ship's chest, nothing. It was like they knew we were going to be here.”

“Exact-” Doc tried to calm herself down. “Exactly, I heard the captain fell quickly.”

“Just as we boarded. He was one of the first to get to the end of his line. Irof is attempting to open the chest in my quarters.”

“No key?”

“No key.”

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“Maybe they stole it off another ship in the fleet.”

“Maybe, but I haven’t heard of any fallen ships this season yet. Considering it just started.” The conversation now took place among the injured men, slowly they walked to the upper deck.

“Maybe it was cargo they were transporting?”

“It’s possible.” Fresh air had begun to fill their lungs as they walked closer to the entrance. They stopped a few paces from it, the sails were flapping hard in the wind now; making the ship groan even more. “I’ll let you know when it’s opened, alright?”

“Alright.” After the captain made his way up the steps, the doctor just stood there to take in some sea air. She then looked down, seeing she was still covered in blood; still having a job to do. She began to walk back to her office, stopping to look over some men periodically. Two able-bodied crewmen walked past, she looked at the dead sailor on the hammock and the one on the operating table. She stopped them; “Can you two take them topside.” she pointed at the body on the hammock, then the one in her office. They both just nodded to the surgeon.

Terch was about to open the nice, engraved wood door that led to his quarters before he heard yelling on the other side. Now, cautiously he opened it. As the door widened more and more, the yelling and slamming got louder and louder.

“How can I not open this damn thing!” The pick locking set of tools Irof brought with him flew just to the left of the entrance door, smashing into the wall; sending small bits and pieces of metal everywhere. “Captain! Finally!” His deep voice shook the entire room as he yelled in his thick, barely understandable accent. “I’ve never seen a lock mechanism like this before! There isn’t even a goddamn keyhole besides this!” He pointed to where the keyhole should be, but all that was there was a flat surface. It had designs of trees and wildlife around it, but the center of the piece was perfectly flat; about the size of a man's fist.

“It is locked with magic, former thief.” Another man spoke from across the room, hidden in a shadowy corner. He lit a pipe, then got up to go towards the two. “You can only open it up if you know the combination of symbols it was locked with.”

“Well thank you, former wizard, for the well-educated observation!” The giant, sweaty, disheveled man went to where his now scattered lock picking kit was. Terch just looked at the two as they bickered. “Sorry, captain.” Said Irof, he now tried to pick up the tiny pieces of the kit with his massive fingers.

The captain just glanced at Irof before he walked past him towards the chest. The heated man could be heard still as he did so, swearing under his breath. “Can you open it, though, Mr. Uri?” He kneeled, looking over the craftsmanship of the chest itself. It was a dark green, with what looked to be thick vines wrapping over the top from the back in four spots. Many symbols were carved in evenly spaced increments on the side and the top. “You think any of these symbols can open it?”

“Oh, I can almost guarantee it.” The wizard took off his black gloves, revealing his burnt, scarred hands. He had one ring among the damaged fingers. It looked old, thick gold with designs that were hard to make out because they have been worn down over the years. “I have no idea where they could have found this, though. It’s old, very old.”

“How so?”

“Well, by the looks of it. It belonged to the Wizard of the Wood, Ico.” He ran his hand along the top, admiring its craftsmanship. “I’ve never seen most of these symbols, don’t even know what they could mean.”

“Forbidden magic?”

“No, if it was Ico’s, it’s just dead magic. He was why the forest of Hurn was so beautiful, it was his life's work.”

“Before the City of Nito was lost?”

“Yes, nobody knows what happened to him. Or what happened to everybody else in Nito, for that matter.” Uri still just looked at it, all he felt was sadness as he gazed at the relic before him. “I can open it, it will just take me time.” The seasoned bald man said as he took off his black hood. Then he pulled out an old book from one of the many places he could stash things in his robes. There was a palm lock on it, his charred right hand fit perfectly into the imprint. It then lit up around the edges of the book with a white light, opening when he had removed his hand.

“Well” Terch said while he looked back at the scuff marks on the wall next to him from Irof’s outburst earlier. “If that’s what it will take. I do prefer to sleep in my own quarters, so let’s take it to the secured storage. So it’s under lock and key.”

“I only have one request, then, commander.” Uri never calls him that, so he’s trying to get on his good side.

“The captain caught that right when he said it. “What do you want? Wizard.”

“Oh, nothing of import in the grand scheme of our honorable task at hand.” He now roamed the room, looking at the assortment of items on the walls in the captain's quarters. A stag was mounted on the wall, above the back window. There were a few bookshelves in random spots against the old wood walls. The window itself looked out the back of the ship and was simple, but well-made. With large beams as the supports and what sealed the windows edges. He dragged a finger over the top of the captain's desk, acting like he saw dust; which there wasn’t any. “Just a bottle of whiskey from your stash in storage.”

The captain smirked, still analyzing the scuff on the wall. “You saw the unmarked crates when we left Juron?” He turned to face the wizard.

“That I did, I see much, but say much less. Besides, we all know about your fine taste in whiskey.” The wizard walked almost weightless on the boards of the room, never even making a sound. On the other hand, the captains were nothing but the opposite. Loud, deliberate steps, shaking the entire space as if his boots were made of the heaviest steel. At moments, you could hear the ship itself cutting through the waves in between the steps.

“Alright, which one of the lot. I’m assuming you know how I arrange them from left to right?”

“That I do, commander.”

Terch squinted for a half second, then just stood still like he was made of stone. “Name it.”

“Your third favorite, the Cher Whiskey.” He now rubbed the non-existent dust in his burnt fingers. Then, he put both of his arms behind his back, almost looking like a noble that stood attention for his king.

“Only if I can have one of your sleeping potions” The captain scratched at his long, red beard. His eyes had just now acclimated to the lack of light in the room, seeing the full picture of Irofs anger. He still missed some pieces of his set, too. “I haven’t been able to sleep for days.”

“Of course, sir.” The wizard bowed low, holding one hand over his stomach, and the other far out to the side. “Thank you.”

“Hmm, yes.” The captain clapped his dry hands together. “Now, get Irof to help you get this thing out of my quarters, I want to try to get a little bit of shut-eye before the storm hits in full.”

“Understandable.”

“Oh one more thing, Uri.”

“Yes, Terch.” The wizard was now back at the chest, looking it over.

The captain made sure the angered man had left the room already. “Make Irof do most of the heavy lifting, he really made a mess of things in here.”

He looked up from the chest, his hands were behind his back once more; smiling from ear to ear. “Oh, it will be my pleasure. I can assure you.”

*

The captain awoke when a lit lantern that hung from the ceiling had fallen, causing the oil from it to spread out and be set ablaze. He acted as fast as he could muster, being half awake still and groggy from a lack of sleep in general. He threw a bucket of water that he kept under his desk onto it, luckily for him the lantern was almost out of fuel; so the water he had was more than enough to extinguish it. Waves crashed into the ship from every side it felt like, making it hard to stand long enough for the captain to catch his bearings.

His second in command, Dhep, stormed into the room. Water poured in from beyond the entrance, sloshing fallen items off of the shelves closer to the far side of the quarters. “We are taking in water!” He yelled, his long hair was plastered to his face; soaked beyond belief.

The captain, now having full control of himself, hastily got on his uniform. “Where?”

“In the cargo bay.” Dhep said it with a tone of defeat, just looking at the ground now.

The captain froze mid-getting his right boot on. “Has it filled the empty space below the shipment?”

“Not yet, no. But, it’s getting close.”

“Then let’s go! Not all is lost.” The captain sprinted out of his room, grabbing his thick jacket that was on a coat hanger next to the door. The wind whistled in his ears, dark blue lightning jumped across the black sky ahead. Waves crashed over the main deck rails, pushing crew members to the far side if they couldn’t keep their footing. The rain drops pelted his face as he and Dhep ran to the stairs that lead to the lower decks. Every step was harder than the last. The ship swayed back and forth heavier and heavier, making it hard to even make it to the lower deck steps. It was hard to hear anything besides the storm itself while they were up there.

“We are too close to dark water! We must sail farther away from the border!”

“We can’t!” The captain yelled; “Kirolak needs these supplies! This is the fastest route to their shores! We can make it through this, we have dealt with worse!” They had finally made it to the steps, running down them as fast as they could; almost falling on multiple occasions. Right when they did so, a huge wave breached the deck that was now just above them, throwing water down on top of their heads. “We just need to fix the breach! The ship will hold!”

Before they even got to the supplies bay, they could hear the two newest recruits working the chain pumps. Both cranked the handles to the machines as fast as they could. The crank was attached to a wheel that was connected to another one that was submerged in the water by a large rope. The rope itself had steel cups placed about 8 inches from each other along the whole thing, all going through a tube that would redirect the water as it was scooped up. Sending it down a pipe so it would fall within the waves once again outside.

“Keep it up!” Terch yelled at the men, they were no older than nineteen by the looks of it. The two were too focused on their task to realize the captain had even acknowledged them. By the time they got to the cargo bay they could barely get to see where it had sprung a leak, people filled the room. Irof was submerged, trying to plug the hole with a wood beam and a hammock, but it wasn’t enough.

“Get more hammocks and beams!” The captain said as he pointed at a group of sailors, then he pointed towards another group. “Get buckets! Go!” The ant hill scattered, all now having a set task to do. Terch then took off his coat then jumped into the water, trying to help Irof get the balled up hammock in place. He could now see the severity of the damage, the hull of the ship had a huge gash in its side. They hadn’t bottomed out or hit a reef, the battle they were in couldn’t have caused this either. The wound was about a foot wide and three feet long, even he wasn't sure if they could fill this fast enough before the supplies got ruined.

“Captain!” Once more, it was Dhep, stampeding into the room with a handful of hammocks with other crewmen in tow.

“Get these supplies out of here! Even in the next room, I don’t care!”

“Aye, sir!” Dhep started to tell the rest of the crew the orders as more men came in, carrying the beams he needed.

“Good! Now get more buckets for the water!” Terch yelled, now balling up hammocks and passing them to Irof; who would come up for air briefly, then go back down again. Irof was a blur to the captain, frantically putting the hammocks into place. Then, he came back up from the freezing depths; now signaling the beams to be handed to him. Lucky for them, some of the lot that had brought the beams had stuck around. Now, they can help with this part. One by one, Irof would grab a beam, which was just wide enough to cover the vertical height of the gash. The men at the top kept on the pressure when he would signal another one to be handed to him. After five beams, and however many hammocks, the leak had been sealed.

The crewmen helped the captain up first, Irof on the other hand took twice as many of them to lift. He was a solid foot taller than the second-tallest man on the ship, almost built as wide as an average doorway as well. He cheered and hugged Terch, the rest cheered, but not for long as there was still much to do. The storm had not let up yet, much more could go wrong if things were not maintained.

“Alright, enough celebrating. Get back to your posts!” Yelled Dhep to the men that still lingered after their job was done, now looking over the captain and Irof. “Now you both look as shitty as me!” He laughed deep, then walked out of the supplies bay. The two men were still at the pumps going as fast as they could in the next room.

“Get two souls to relieve these gentlemen” Said Terch to Irof; “And get them a drink, they earned it.”